Disposable shoe insole strips for footwear

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a disposable shoe insole strip which includes top and bottom layers, each layer having outer edge portions and may include a deodorizing and/or antiperspirant agent impregnated within. The shoe insole strip may be clear, transparent, colored transparent or may include designs and patterns to add interest to a shoe&#39;s insoles. The top layer is preferably formed into a thin, transparent strip in the shape of at least a portion of a foot sole with a non-slippery, sweat absorbent surface for providing protection from sweat, dust, dirt and/or other stains e.g. spilt liquids, colored juices, etc., which discolor a shoe&#39;s insoles. The bottom layer includes a transparent layer of adhesive for removably attaching the shoe insole strip to a shoe&#39;s interior and/or the easy removal of the shoe insole strip from the footwear once the shoe insole strip is worn and/or ready to be discarded after use.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a disposable shoe insole stripwhich includes top and bottom layers, each layer having outer edgeportions and may include a deodorizing and/or antiperspirant agentimpregnated within. The top layer is preferably formed into a thin,transparent strip in the shape of at least a portion of a foot sole witha non-slippery, sweat absorbent surface for providing protection fromsweat, dust, dirt and/or other stains e.g. spilt liquids, coloredjuices, etc., which discolor a shoe's insoles. The bottom layer includesa transparent layer of adhesive for removably attaching the shoe insolestrip to the corresponding portion of the footwear's insole and/or theeasy removal of the shoe insole strip from the footwear once the shoeinsole strip is worn and/or ready to be discarded after use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Invariably shoe insoles reflect the environment in which they have beenworn. For example, if the sandals and/or shoes (collectively “footwear”)are being worn in a dusty environment, depending on the texture of theinsoles, it may gather dust or dirt and may stain and/or discolor veryeasily. This is a common problem with low heeled shoes and/or open-toedsandals which are low to the ground where they attract and accumulatedirt and/or dust with each wear. The problem is exacerbated if thefootwear's insoles are light colored. In that event, it is not uncommonto notice that the footwear's insoles appear dirty, discolored and/ordingy, prematurely aging the footwear disproportional to the amount ofwear. This discoloration detracts from the footwear's appearance anddesirability for use. Accordingly, men and women may own several pairsof footwear with light colored insoles from which they receive limiteduse because of discoloration of the insoles. Thus, there exists a needto be able to protect footwear's insoles from discoloration due to dirt,dust and/or other stains.

On occasion, an individual may attempt to obtain relief by washing,brushing or scrubbing the insoles. However, this methodology isn't veryeffective because that solution is merely temporary, since as soon asthe individual wears the footwear in another dusty environment, theinsoles will once again accumulate dust and/or dirt and may become evenmore discolored. Moreover, not all footwear is capable of surviving evenpartial submersion in water, as water may unglue the adhesives used tohold the footwear together, destroying it. As a result, generallyspeaking once footwear's insoles become discolored the insoles cannot bereplaced or repaired without negatively impacting the footwear'sconstruction and wearability. As such, there exists a need for a longterm solution to continually protect footwear with the insoles beingrepeatedly refreshed, without damaging the footwear when insolediscoloration occurs.

There are several different types of insoles that are currentlyavailable on the market, e.g. Dr. Scholl's® insoles, for varied footmaladies, e.g. cushioning, support, etc. However, these insoles cannotbe worn with sandals as the construction of sandals, particularlyopen-toed sandals, does not provide sufficient containment for theinsoles, rendering the task impossible. Additionally, these insoles donot address the problem of insole discoloration as they are oftendesigned with a specific health purpose in mind without much regard forfashion or style. Thus, when an individual wearing one of these insolestakes off their shoes in public, e.g. at security checkpoints at anairport, their insoles are visible and not always clean or attractive.Further, these insoles are often bulky requiring the wearer to add atleast an extra half size to the shoe being retrofitted with the insolesjust to be able to wear them. Accordingly, retrofitting new insoles toan old shoe is often impossible as the retrofitted shoe doesn't fit.Thus, there exists a need for comfortable wearing insoles that canprotect a shoe's insoles from dirt and discoloration and also beretrofitted to both sandals and/or shoes alike that will not affect thecurrent fit. Such solution should also be attractive, affordable andrelatively inexpensive.

Foot odor is a common malady that plagues males and females, adults andchildren alike, especially if they are involved in sporting activitieswhere the individual's feet perspire. It is also not uncommon for dirtand dust to accumulate and grind into the footwear's insoles duringsporting activities causing discoloration. The combination of foot odor,perspiration and dirt is generally unpleasant and unsightly. Manydeodorize their footwear during intervals of non-use to alleviate themalodor. However, deodorizing does not prevent the insoles from gettingdiscolored. Moreover, that solution is only partially effective becauseas soon as the individual wears the footwear again and perspires, themalodor returns. Accordingly, there exists a need to be able todeodorize footwear during use while protecting the footwear's insolesfrom discoloration during active wear.

Thus, there is a need for a shoe insole strip that overcomes thelimitations of the known prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to solving the various problemsenumerated above, in a new, novel and useful manner.

In view of the foregoing background of the invention, it is therefore anobject of the present invention to provide a disposable shoe insolestrip with a non-aggressive adhesive layer that is removably attached tofootwear's insole, without damaging the footwear's construction withrepeated removals and affixation to the footwear's insoles.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a disposable shoeinsole strip that can be used to protect footwear from discolorationfrom sweat, dirt, dust and/or other stains.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a shoe insole stripthat deodorizes the footwear while it is being worn.

Another objective of the invention is to provide for insoles that may beretrofitted equally to both sandals and/or shoes that will notcompromise the fit.

Another objective of the invention is to provide an affordable andrelatively inexpensive solution to the foregoing problems that have notbeen solved by the prior art.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention are provided by a thin, relatively transparent shoe insolestrip including a top layer in mating engagement with the wearer's feetand a bottom layer coated with a non-aggressive or light conventionaladhesive for removable attachment to a footwear's insole. Both the topand bottom layers, each having an outer edge portion disposedsubstantially irregularly therein. In one embodiment of the invention,the shoe insole strip is clear and transparent, barely visible wheninserted which is quite unlike the prior art with visible bulky insoles.The shoe insole strip may be configured in the shape of the entire footsole, or in alternate embodiments of the invention the shoe insole stripmay be configured to form the front portion of a foot sole, the middleportion of the sole, or alternatively a foot heel.

In alternate embodiments of the invention, the disposable shoe insolestrip is colored yet transparent providing a hint of color, e.g. red,yellow, purple, and blue, etc., when inserted in the footwear. In otherembodiments, visible designs, drawings, pastings, etc. are made a partof the disposable shoe insole strip, e.g. polka dots, stripes, geometricdesigns, prints, cartoon characters, etc., and any other like designs asare well known and used in the arts. As such, when inserted, the coloredshoe insole strip with a design lends a certain fashion flare enhancingthe footwear. In some instances, the designs are transformativeconverting a plain drab shoe or sandal to trendy footwear, a featurethat is generally appealing to women and children.

To accomplish the various objectives of the invention, the structure andarrangement of the various components will be evident from thedescription below, the within specification, drawings and the followingclaims.

For a further and more fully detailed understanding of the presentinvention, various objects and advantages thereof, reference is made tothe following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention may bederived by referring to the detailed description and claims whenconsidered in connection with the Figures, wherein like referencenumbers refer to similar items throughout the Figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an alternate embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view depicting the bottom layer of the shoeinsole strip of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shoe insole strip 10 as insertedwithin footwear.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is now described in more detail by reference tothe exemplary drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate likeelements throughout the various views. This is for convenience only andis not intended to limit the application of the present invention. Infact, after reading the following description, it will be apparent toone skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the followinginvention in alternate embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention. The shoe insole strip 10is intended to provide footwear protection from dust, dirt and otherstains which discolor the footwear's insoles during wear. It isunderstood that the shoe insole strip 10 can be sized to fit small,medium or large or any other variations thereof. It is furtherunderstood that both children and adults, male and female alike, canbenefit from and use the invention.

The shoe insole strip 10 is a thin, relatively transparent strip formedin the shape of at least a portion of a foot sole with a top layer and abottom layer, where the shoe insole strip 10 is adapted to fit thecorresponding portion of footwear's insole to protect it from anaccumulation of stains. The top layer 12 is in mating engagement withthe wearer's foot. Both the top layer 12 and the bottom layer 14 aresubstantially planar and include an outer edge portion 18. In oneembodiment of the invention, the shoe insole strip 10 may be scentedand/or deodorized and is substantially planar.

In alternate embodiments of the invention the shoe insole strip 10comprises of raised pockets 20 (not shown) filled with fragrance and/oran antiperspirant, which are randomly and/or ergonomically displacedthroughout the shoe insole strip 10. The outer edge portion 18 generallydefines the width and length of the shoe insole strip 10 and directlycorresponds to the inner perimeter of the footwear for which it is inmating engagement. As seen in FIG. 1, the shoe insole strip 10 is formedin the shape of an entire foot sole and is designed to be fitted for newor used footwear without negatively impacting the intended fit.

As seen in FIG. 2, in alternate embodiments of the invention, the shoeinsole strip 10 may be configured in the shape of the front portion of afoot sole, the middle portion or alternatively a foot heel. Theseembodiments of the invention may preferably be used with sandals, inparticular open-toed sandals where the front or heel of the sandals maybe more fully exposed.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the top layer 12 of the shoeinsole strip 10 is preferably formed from polymers into a thin, clearand transparent strip which is barely visible when inserted in footwear.Such polymers include but are not limited to plastics, or other polymersthat are readily known and used in the arts. Because of itstransparency, the shoe insole strip 10 is relatively unnoticeable anddoes not detract from the fashionable appearance of the footwear whenthe wearer slips off their footwear in public. In other embodiments ofthe invention, the shoe insole strip 10 retains its transparency withthe top layer 12 being treated with a chemical solution making itnon-slippery with a sweat absorbent surface. In alternate embodiments ofthe invention, the shoe insole strip 10 is colored and transparentadding a touch of color to the footwear. In yet another embodiment ofthe invention, the shoe insole strip 10 further includes visible coloreddesigns, pictures, and/or drawings, etc. e.g. polka dots, stripes,geometric patterns, prints, cartoon characters, etc. Additional colormay be added to the shoe insole strip 10 in certain embodiments where itis desirable that the shoe insole strip 10 remains thin but nottransparent.

The shoe insole strip 10 includes fragrance and/or an antiperspirantimpregnated within used to minimize foot odor and perspiration. In oneembodiment of the invention, as the body heat from the wearer warms theshoe insole strip 10 during use, the fragrance and/or antiperspirant isreleased. Such fragrances and/or antiperspirants may include scents andfoot deodorizers that are readily known and used in the arts.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the shoe insole strip 10has an intermediate layer 40 (not shown) that is disposed throughout,and interconnected to the top 12 and bottom layers 14 and is furtherdefined by the outer edge portions 18 of the shoe insole strip 10. Inthat embodiment, the shoe insole strip 10 has raised pockets 20 (notshown) of fragrance and/or an antiperspirant housed within theintermediate layer 40 (not shown), which is substantially randomlyand/or ergonomically displaced throughout the shoe insole strip 10between the top layer 12, the bottom layer 14 and within the confines ofthe outer edge portions 18.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view depicting the bottom layer 14 of the shoeinsole strip 10 of the invention. The bottom layer 14 includes atransparent adhesive layer 16 of conventional, non-aggressive or lightadhesive as is well known and used in the arts. Such adhesive may besubstantially disposed uniformly therein over the entire bottom layer 14within the perimeter of the outer edge portion 18 (not shown) or includepatches of adhesive strips 42 (not shown) spaced apart from each otherand attached to the bottom layer 14. The bottom layer 14 is furtheraffixed to a non-adhesive layer 22 such that the adhesive layer 16 isprotected until it is ready to be peeled and removed from thenon-adhesive layer 22 to be attached to the corresponding portion of thefootwear's insole.

The shoe insole strip 10 is very thin to meet the specific needs for itsintended use. As such, the thickness may vary depending on the size ofthe shoe insole strip 10. For example, the shoe insole strip 10 may haveincreased thickness for larger sizes to support greater body weight suchthat the shoe insole strip 10 may be used effectively without tearingduring use. Otherwise, the shoe insole strip 10 is preferably thin,easily peeled from the non-adhesive layer 22 such that the shoe insolestrip 10 can be affixed to the corresponding part of the footwear's solewithout damaging the footwear during insertion or removal.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shoe insole strip 10 as insertedwithin footwear. Once the shoe insole strip 10 has been inserted andused, it may be easily removed by pulling on a tab 28 (not shown) topeel the shoe insole strip 10 from the footwear so that it may bediscarded.

Other modifications and implementations will occur to those skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the inventionas claimed. Accordingly, the invention is to be defined not only by thepreceding illustrative description but also by the following claims.

1. A shoe insole strip comprising of: (a) a thin, relatively transparentdisposable shoe insole strip formed in the shape of at least a portionof a foot sole with a top layer and a bottom layer, where the shoeinsole strip is adapted to fit the corresponding portion of a footwear'sinsole to protect it from an accumulation of stains and wherein the shoeinsole strip includes a deodorizer impregnated within; (b) both the toplayer and the bottom layer are substantially planar and include an outeredge portion; (c) said top layer is in mating engagement with thewearer's foot; (d) the bottom layer of the shoe insole strip includes atransparent layer of non-aggressive adhesive that is further attached toa non-adhesive layer, such that the shoe insole strip can be removablyattached to the corresponding portion of the footwear's insole; and (e)the outer edge portion which defines the width and length of the shoeinsole strip and directly corresponds to the inner perimeter of thefootwear for which it is in mating engagement.
 2. The shoe insole stripof claim 1, wherein the shoe insole strip comprises of pockets offragrance and/or antiperspirant for allowing scent to be released whenworn.
 3. The shoe insole strip of claim 1, wherein the shoe insole stripis colored.
 4. The shoe insole strip of claim 1, wherein the shoe insolestrip is transparent.
 5. The shoe insole strip of claim 1, wherein theshoe insole strip has visible designs.
 6. The shoe insole strip of claim1, wherein the shoe insole strip is formed in the shape of any one ofthe following: a front portion, a foot heel, a middle portion or theentire foot sole.
 7. The shoe insole strip of claim 1, wherein the shoeinsole strip is treated to make the top layer non-slippery.
 8. The shoeinsole strip of claim 1, wherein the shoe insole strip is treated tomake the top layer sweat absorbent.
 9. The shoe insole strip of claim 1,wherein the shoe insole strip is substantially planar with raisedpockets of fragrance and/or antiperspirant that are displaced throughoutthe shoe insole strip.
 10. A shoe insole strip comprising of: (a) athin, relatively transparent disposable shoe insole strip formed in theshape of at least a portion of a foot sole with a top layer,intermediate layer and a bottom layer, where the shoe insole strip isadapted to fit the corresponding portion of a footwear's insole toprotect it from an accumulation of stains and wherein the shoe insolestrip includes a deodorizer impregnated within; (b) both the top layerand the bottom layer are substantially planar and include an outer edgeportion; (c) said top layer is in mating engagement with the wearer'sfoot; (d) said intermediate layer is disposed throughout andinterconnected to the top and bottom layers and is further defined byouter edge portions of the shoe insole strip, and wherein the shoeinsole strip has raised pockets of fragrance and antiperspirant housedwithin the intermediate layer where they are substantially randomlydisplaced throughout the shoe insole strip between the top layer, thebottom layer, and the confines of the outer edge portion; (e) the bottomlayer of the shoe insole strip includes a transparent layer ofnon-aggressive adhesive that is further attached to a non-adhesivelayer, such that the shoe insole strip can be removably attached to thecorresponding portion of the footwear's insole; and (f) the outer edgeportion which defines the width and length of the shoe insole strip anddirectly corresponds to the inner perimeter of the footwear for which itis in mating engagement.
 11. The shoe insole strip of claim 10, whereinthe shoe insole strip comprises of pockets of fragrance and/orantiperspirant for allowing scent to be released when worn.
 12. The shoeinsole strip of claim 10, wherein the shoe insole strip is colored. 13.The shoe insole strip of claim 10, wherein the shoe insole strip istransparent.
 14. The shoe insole strip of claim 10, wherein the shoeinsole strip has visible designs.
 15. The shoe insole strip of claim 10,wherein the shoe insole strip is formed in the shape of any one of thefollowing: a front portion, a foot heel, a middle portion or the entirefoot sole.
 16. The shoe insole strip of claim 10, wherein the shoeinsole strip is treated to make the top layer non-slippery.
 17. The shoeinsole strip of claim 10, wherein the shoe insole strip is treated tomake the top layer sweat absorbent.